The Philadelphia Caller
Philadelphia News, Spots and More 
PHILADELPHIA, PA – Looking for the perfect last-minute gift or stocking stuffer? Check out the Museum of Illusions gift shop, aptly called the Smart Shop, where you will find several handheld puzzles and dilemma games, fidget toys, souvenirs, and exclusive MOI merchandise. They have gifts for people of all ages that help develop problem-solving skills, exercise creativity, and tease the brain.
PHILADELPHIA - Kismet Bagels, which began as an idea during Covid-19 and became an online popup shop in 2020, opened its first brick & mortar location in Fishtown in April of this year. Now, husband-and-wife owners Jacob and Alexandra Cohen are expanding their footprint in Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA - In celebration of the anniversary of Pita Chip’s Co-founder Omar Alsaadi’s emigration to the U.S. from Syria in 1979, the modern Middle Eastern quick-serve restaurant with locations at 3601 Market Street in University City, 1600 North Broad Street at Temple University, and 1623 Big Oak Road in the Oxford Oaks Shopping Center in Yardley, will be offering complimentary falafel wraps or bowls to the first 79 customers at each location when the shops open at 11 a.m. on Friday, December 9th. Additionally, anyone who misses the giveaway can purchase falafel bowls or wraps for only $0.79 throughout the day. No purchase is necessary for the giveaway, and both offers are limited to one item per person.
PHILADELPHIA - Cake & Joe, Sarah Qi, and Trista Tang’s specialty coffee and dessert shop, which opened two years ago in Philadelphia’s Pennsport neighborhood, is expanding with a second location that is due to open late this winter at 2012 Frankford Avenue in Fishtown.
PHILADELPHIA - Saté Kampar’s Ange Branca is hosting a series of seven-course Japanese Wagyu dinners throughout December at Cake & Joe, located at 1401 E. Moyamensing Avenue in Philadelphia’s Pennsport neighborhood. The dinners will be held every Sunday through Wednesday from December 11th through the 28th, including Christmas Day.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – Forsythia, Chef Christopher Kearse’s contemporary French restaurant and bar in Old City, is delving into the world of delicacies and gourmet fare with the upcoming installment of The French AF Series titled La Fête des Abats, an indulgent, rare five-course offal dinner, on Wednesday, December 14. The imaginative riffs on various offal-focused dishes planned for La Fête des Abats can be accompanied by thoughtfully curated wine pairings, hand-picked and guided by Mitch Skewer of The Artisan’s Cellar.
Philadelphia, PA - FCM Hospitality announces the grand opening of NoChe in Rittenhouse Square on Thursday, December 15th, at 1901 Chestnut Street, Second Floor. Hot on the heels of last week's opening of Rosy's Cafe blocks away, Owner Avram Hornik presents a sophisticated and posh cocktail lounge that pays tribute to his former nightclub of the same name that operated in the space from 2004 to 2014.
PHILADELPHIA - Mike’s BBQ in South Philly and Elverson, PA’s Resurgent Whiskey are partnering on a collaborative event featuring BBQ and whiskey this Saturday, December 10th, from noon to 3 p.m. at Mike’s BBQ, located at 1703 S. 11th Street in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia, PA – Banksy Was Here: The Exhibition, an "unauthorized" Banksy exhibition, opens at Philadelphia Fashion District this Saturday, December 3, 2022, and runs through January 31, 2023. Don’t miss its arrival and debut in Philadelphia!
PHILADELPHIA - Tails will be wagging as White Dog Cafe University City celebrates 40 years on January 10, 2023. The University City institution has grown from its humble beginnings on the ground floor of a brownstone to adding four suburban locations, with a fifth set to open in 2023.
PHILADELPHIA - Identifying the part of the brain that controls breathing is an important function of the human body. It is a very complex process and it has to constantly adapt to changing conditions. It also has a role in regulating emotions, thoughts and behaviors. Involuntary breathing results from a series of reflexes that occur automatically, while higher brain centers influence voluntary breathing. The brain stem is the part of the brain that controls breathing.
PHILADELPHIA - Last year, Fishtown Pickle Project took the age-old Feast of the Seven Fishes holiday tradition and created something of their own — the Feast of the Seven Pickles — a holiday cocktail party is featuring seven pickle-centric dishes paired with wines. It was such a hit that not only did they add two seatings and accept walk-ins, but they ended up with a nearly 200-person waiting list. They had so much demand that they also jarred seven types of pickles for an in-home version entitled “Pickle Party Mix.”
